Former Boston Bruins Forward Has Died

The Boston Bruins lost a former black-and-gold winger this week with the passing of André Pronovost, who died Tuesday at age 90, per NHL.com.

A four-time Stanley Cup champion with the Montreal Canadiens before he arrived in Boston, Pronovost spent parts of three seasons with the Bruins from late 1960 through early 1963.

The Shawinigan, Quebec, native was traded to Boston on Nov. 27, 1960, for Jean-Guy Gendron after salary disputes with Canadiens general manager Frank Selke.

The deal sent a proven winner onto a Bruins club that was mired near the bottom of the six-team NHL.

Pronovost quickly became a regular, skating as a two-way left wing who killed penalties and saw occasional power-play time.

In 47 games after the trade in 1960-61, he scored 11 goals and added 11 assists. The next season he played all 70 games, scoring a Bruins-high 15 goals and finishing with 23 points.

Boston also paid him better. After earning $9,500 in Montreal, he received $14,500 in his first season wearing the spoked-B. Pronovost later recalled that he played regularly and that things “went well” individually even as the team struggled.

He opened 1962-63 in Boston but was traded to the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 3 for Forbes Kennedy after 21 games. In 138 games as a Bruin he recorded 26 goals and 21 assists.

Born July 9, 1936, Pronovost broke into the NHL with Montreal in 1956-57 and won the Cup in each of his first four seasons during the Canadiens’ late-1950s dynasty.

He later played for Detroit and finished his NHL career with nine games for the expansion Minnesota North Stars in 1967-68.

In 557 regular-season games he totaled 94 goals and 104 assists. He is the grandfather of New Jersey Devils forward Anthony Mantha.

The Bruins remember Pronovost as a reliable, hard-working winger who brought championship experience to Boston Garden during a lean stretch for the franchise.